Find Your Future

Wedlake Bell is recruiting 1-2 Solicitor Apprentices to join the firm in September 2027.

Your studies

To qualify as a solicitor, you must:

· Hold a degree or equivalent qualification;

· Pass SQE1 and SQE2;

· Complete two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE); and

· Meet the Solicitors Regulation Authority's (SRA) character and suitability requirements.

The Solicitor Apprenticeship programme is designed to meet all of these requirements.

Wedlake Bell partners with the University of Law to deliver the academic element of the apprenticeship. Apprentices spend one day each week studying towards an LLB Law degree and, later in the programme, preparing for the SQE assessments.

The combination of academic study and practical experience is designed to prepare you for qualification and equip you with the skills, knowledge and commercial awareness needed to succeed in a City law firm.

On-the-job learning

For the remainder of the week, you will be based in our Central London office, gaining practical experience alongside your studies.

During the first four years of the programme, apprentices complete four 12-month placements across different practice areas. As a full-service law firm, we offer exposure to a broad range of legal work, including Commercial Property, Employment, Corporate and Private Client, among many others.

In the final two years of the programme, apprentices join our trainee solicitor rotation, completing four six-month seats alongside our trainee cohort.

Reflecting our commitment to excellence, we invest heavily in the development and support of our apprentices. In each placement, you will be allocated a dedicated supervisor who will oversee your work and development, as well as a mentor who can provide additional guidance and support. You will also have regular contact with our Early Careers team, who will be available throughout your apprenticeship to support your progress.

Before joining your first team, you will take part in a comprehensive induction programme designed to help you settle into life at Wedlake Bell. Our Learning & Development team has also created a tailored development programme for solicitor apprentices, which you will attend throughout the six years.

After you complete the programme

Once you have successfully completed the apprenticeship programme, passed all required examinations and met the SRA's admission requirements, you will qualify as a solicitor and be admitted to the roll of solicitors.

At the end of the programme, solicitor apprentices are considered for Newly Qualified (NQ) solicitor roles alongside our trainee solicitors. Wedlake Bell's aim is to retain as many apprentices and trainees as possible, and we consistently achieve strong retention rates.

The qualification process is managed closely by our Early Careers team, who work with apprentices and trainees to support their transition from trainee to qualified solicitor and help them identify the right role for the next stage of their career.

Applications for our 2027 Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme will open on 1 November 2026. The deadline to submit your application is 15 February 2027 at 23:59. The Apprenticeship will begin in September 2027.

To apply, you will need to:

· Complete the online application form – access the online application form and apply here.

· You will be asked to answer motivation and skills-based questions as part of the application form.

For any questions and queries, contact us via email.

To apply for our Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme, you should be in Year 13 (or equivalent) or have recently completed your school or college studies and be able to meet our academic requirements.

The academic requirements to apply for the Solicitor Apprenticeship are that you are predicted or have achieved ABB at A Level (or equivalent) and have 5 GCSEs at grade 4-9 (C-A*) including Maths and English.

As this programme is funded through the apprenticeship levy, applicants must also meet the government's apprenticeship funding eligibility requirements. This includes meeting the relevant residency and right-to-work criteria in England.

If you hold a visa or are unsure whether you meet the apprenticeship funding requirements, we encourage you to contact the Early Careers team before applying.

Any mitigating circumstances will be considered on an individual basis. If you would like to discuss, please contact Senior Early Careers Manager Annabel Hale at ahale@wedlakebell.com.

All applications are reviewed as a first stage. After this, candidates will be selected for a telephone interview with a member of the HR team. The aim of this will be to find out more about you, why you are interested in completing a Solicitor Apprenticeship and why you are interested in Wedlake Bell.

Following this, candidates will be invited to an in-person interview at the firm. You will be able to meet the Early Careers team, some Lawyers and current trainee solicitors. This stage will include an interview with a Lawyer and a member of the HR team, a written exercise and a group exercise. These interviews will likely take place in April.

The early careers team will let you know whether you have been successful as soon as possible following each stage.

We want to hear about any work experience you may have – we are interested in transferable skills from any paid work, volunteering or clubs and activities at school.

Have a think about your other interests and hobbies and what skills you have developed. To be a great lawyer, you need to have strong organisation, teamwork and communication skills. How can you demonstrate this in your application? One final tip, make sure you read the instructions for the covering letter carefully! This is your opportunity to show why you are interested in Wedlake Bell and a career in Law.

Good Luck!

What is the closing date for applications?

The deadline to submit your application for the 2027 Solicitor Apprenticeship is 15 February 2027 at 23:59.

If I am selected to attend an interview, will my travel costs be reimbursed?

Yes, Wedlake Bell will reimburse reasonable travelling expenses from within the UK and Ireland. A copy of your receipt is required, and reimbursement will be paid by payment transfer. Unfortunately, we are unable to reimburse any expenses incurred if you travel back from a holiday to attend an interview. Only public transport costs will be considered for reimbursement. If you are considering travelling by taxi, please contact the Early Careers team before starting your journey. You can email the team with any questions using earlycareers@wedlakebell.com.

Please contact the team with any questions regarding travel after you have been invited to attend an interview.

Will I get paid?

We pay our solicitor apprentices in accordance with current market rates in London. These are reviewed annually.

What is the SQE?

The Solicitor's Qualifying Exam (SQE) was introduced by the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA) in September 2021 and will mean that all aspiring solicitors must pass two standardised exams as part of the new route to qualification. This has been introduced to ensure consistency and high standards across the legal industry.

The SQE is split in to two assessments; SQE 1 and SQE 2. SQE 1 focuses on functioning legal knowledge and SQE2 on practical legal skills and knowledge.

In addition to the assessments, you will also need to have an undergraduate degree, complete two years’ qualifying work experience and meet the SRA’s character and suitability requirements.

Further details on the SQE route can be found on the SRA’s website and we would recommend all candidates review this: https://sqe.sra.org.uk/